KR20150051925A - Supporting structure for concurrently supporting a plurality of containers for substances for medical, pharmaceutical or cosmetic applications as well as transport and packaging container comprising the same and process - Google Patents

Abstract

A support structure for concurrently supporting a plurality of containers for substances for medical, pharmaceutical or cosmetic applications comprise a carrier having a plurality of support means to support the containers on the carrier in a first orientation state (e.g., an erected state) or a second orientation state (an upside down state or an erected state) selectively. According to the present invention, the carrier is customized to the length of the container to arrange an upper end portion of the container in a first location to have a same distance from the carrier as a lower end portion of the container in a second location and allow access to the upper end portion and/or the lower end portion of the container for a post processing while the container is supported on the carrier. Accordingly, the height of a processing station where the container is additionally processed or treated does not need to be adjusted regardless of whether the container is supported at the first location or the second location on the carrier because the upper end portion and the lower end portion of the container at both locations (orientation states) are disposed at the same level of height. According to the present invention, efforts in adjusting, controlling, and automating can be simplified to facilitate container treatments and container processing.

Description

A support structure for simultaneously supporting a plurality of containers for medical, pharmaceutical or cosmetically acceptable materials, as well as transport and packaging containers comprising the same, and processes and systems for the treatment and / or prophylaxis of diseases and conditions associated therewith. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION < RTI ID = 0.0 & AS WELL AS TRANSPORT AND PACKAGING CONTAINER COMPRISING THE SAME AND PROCESS}

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60 / 064,993, filed on November 21, 2013, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety for all purposes. "A support structure for simultaneously supporting a plurality of containers for medical, pharmaceutical, As well as a transport and packaging container comprising the same, and a German patent which is entitled " Supporting structure for concurrently supporting a plurality of containers for substances for medical, pharmaceutical or cosmetic applications as well as transport and packaging comprising the same and process & Priority is claimed on Application No. 10 2013 112 167.

Briefly, the present invention relates to a container for the storage of medical, pharmaceutical or cosmetically acceptable material, in particular a container for the storage of a substance, such as a glass bottle, an ampoule, a syringe or a dual chamber syringe, a carpoule (cartridge) More particularly to a simultaneous support (retention) of a vartridge, in a simple and reliable manner, and can be machined in a filling device or processing plant while the container is supported by the support structure, , A sterilizing tunnel, a filling device for liquid pharmaceuticals for medicinal or pharmaceutical purposes, or simultaneous support of such a plurality of containers in a support structure in such a way that it can be further processed in a freeze dryer for this purpose. The invention also relates to a transport and / or packaging container comprising at least one such support structure and to a process for the processing or processing of such a container.

Pharmaceutical containers, such as glass bottles, ampoules or couples, have been widely used as containers for the preservation and storage of medicinal, pharmaceutical or cosmetic preparations dosed in liquid form, especially in preliminary dosages. These containers are generally cylindrical, and can be formed of plastic or glass, and can be mass-marketed at low cost. In order to fill the container under sterile conditions as efficiently as possible, the container already packed in the shipping or packaging container by the container manufacturer under sterile conditions is packaged under sterile conditions, in particular in a so-called sterile tunnel, The concept of being released and further processed is increasingly being used.

To this end, various transport and packaging containers according to the prior art of the type in which a plurality of drug containers are arranged in a regular form at the same time are known. This known technology has the advantage that automated further processing of the vessel is possible since the vessel can be delivered to a control station in a processing station, for example a processing machine, a robot, etc., and in a predetermined arrangement. For delivery to the processing station, only transport and packaging containers need to be properly positioned and opened. In the downstream processing station, the position of the containers to be further processed is determined in what arrangement.

Such transport and packaging containers and corresponding packaging concepts are disclosed, for example, in US 8,118,167 B2. However, the further processing of the containers is always done in such a way that the support structure is removed from the transport and packaging containers, and that the containers are removed from the support structure and placed separately in the next conveyor, in particular on the conveyor belt, Processing station. This approach limits achievable processing speeds. Particularly, as the individual vessels are always adjacent to each other under uncontrolled conditions in the process of isolating containers using cell wheels or the like, undesirable wear and contamination of the container or of the internal volume of the processing station And also results in appearance damage of the undesirable container.

US 8,100,263 B2 discloses a portable transport and packaging container that can be packaged in a sterilization manner in which a plate-like support structure supporting a plurality of drug containers of regular arrangement can be inserted. In this case, however, the drug container can not be further processed while being accommodated in the transport or packaging container or while being supported on the support structure, and must first be delivered to the next downstream processing station in a conventional manner.

Another similar transport and packaging vessel and support structure are disclosed in WO 2011/135085 A1 and WO 2009/015862 Al. However, it is not always necessary to isolate the drug container for further processing. Further processing of the drug container bundle is not possible while the container is being accommodated in the plate-like support structure as described above.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a container for use in the storage of medicinal, pharmaceutical or cosmetically acceptable material, which can be sterilized and packaged so that it can be easily and reliably supported in accordance with the specific conditions during processing of the container, To further enhance the support of the container so that it can be released and further processed. According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a corresponding transport and packaging container comprising at least one such support structure and corresponding process for processing or processing of the container.

Accordingly, there is provided a support structure for simultaneously supporting a plurality of containers having a predetermined length, said container being used for storage of a material for medical, pharmaceutical or cosmetic use, (E.g., in an upright state) or in a second orientation state in which the container is the same as the first orientation state (e.g., similarly in an upright state) or in a second orientation state opposite to the first orientation state There is provided a support structure comprising a carrier (support structure) having a plurality of support means for supporting a container on a carrier in a second position supported on the carrier in a first position (e.g. According to the present invention, the upper end of the container is positioned at the lower edge of the container at the second position relative to the upper edge of the carrier at the first position or against the upper edge of the frame used to support the carrier In such a manner that they are disposed at the same distance and that access to the top and / or bottom of the container is possible for further processing of the container while the container is supported on the carrier It is set to length.

Thus, regardless of whether the container is supported on the carrier in a first position (e.g., an upright position) or a second position (e.g., up and down), the container can be further processed or machined It is not necessary to adjust the height of the station because the upper and lower ends of the container are arranged at the same level of height in both positions (alignment state) of the container. According to the present invention, this arrangement significantly facilitates the processing and processing of the vessel, since it greatly simplifies the effort involved in regulation, control and automation.

In the sense of the present invention, it should be understood that the term "at the same distance" as well as the inevitable tolerances of the length of the container are taken into account. On the other hand, according to another embodiment, the tolerance is also caused by supporting the upper and lower ends of the container in a different manner on the support structure, and is preferably the maximum level of the axial length of the reduced neck of the container being supported, Of the axial length of the reduced neck, as compared to the total length of the container, for example, less than 20%, preferably less than 10% of the axial length of the reduced neck.

According to another embodiment, the carrier comprises a plurality of holes, and a plurality of support means, preferably two support means, are provided for supporting the container, in particular by means of positive fit or by friction, Lt; / RTI > Here, the container may be formed so that the upper end of the container protrudes beyond the upper edge portion of the carrier and / or the lower end of the container protrudes beyond the lower edge of the carrier so as to extend through the hole of the carrier. And is supported on the carrier by the supporting means.

According to yet another embodiment, the container is supported on the carrier at the first position and the second position so as to be reliably supported on the carrier when the orientation state is reversed, or is supported on the carrier in the axial direction maintain.

According to yet another embodiment, a carrier, preferably planar and particularly rectangular, is provided on the edges of the individual holes and is provided with supporting means projecting from the upper surface of the carrier and supporting the individual containers in the holes, Includes tongues. Wherein the support tongue is configured to pivot or tilt elastically away during insertion of the container into the aperture and the support tongue is fitted to the container such that the container is supported by the support tongue at a radially spaced distance. By means of said radial clearance, containers with different tolerances and / or external dimensions can be reliably supported by the same carrier. Conveniently, the radial spacing is designed to match the outer contour or external dimensions of the container, in such a manner that all support tongues can not simultaneously contact the container, especially the neck at the top of the glass bottle. At the same time, the radial spacing also prevents the carrier from being uniformly bulged or undesirably pulled when supporting a container with different radial tolerances and / or different external dimensions, Freeze drying at low temperatures and during processing while being supported by the carrier, particularly when multiple containers are being processed simultaneously.

According to another embodiment, the support tongue is sufficiently resiliently formed or resiliently supported, in particular under the elastic deformation of the support tongue, for example under the bending of the support tongue, in the axial direction from the upper or lower side of the carrier That is, in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the carrier in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the container, the container can be inserted into the hole or the receiving portion. Thus, the task of loading the container into the carrier can be easily automated, and this automation is further enhanced by regular arrangement of holes or receptacles, preferably by regular arrangement of holes or receptacles in the two-dimensional matrix .

The lower surface of the expandable upper rim portion of the container has been found to be the preferred position for the container to be held or supported by a support tongue, such as a so-called rolling edge or shoulder, which is usually provided in the case of a glass bottle. In this region, in order to easily carry out the above-described radial clearance when supporting the container, a support region having a sufficient range in the radial direction of the hole or the receiving portion for holding or supporting the container is available.

According to the present invention, because the container can be raised or displaced, e.g., rotated, with little effort in the hole or receiving portion of the carrier, the container can be easily machined while being supported inside the carrier or guided by at least the carrier . This type of support has been found to be particularly advantageous during sealing of the container, for example, by crimping a metal lid. The necessary process for this can be performed on the metal cap while the container is supported or at least guided in the bore or receiving portion of the carrier. This type of support has proved to be particularly advantageous for the processing of the vessel while the vessel is being supported or received by the carrier. For example, a carrier may be disposed in a freeze-drying or freeze-drying cabinet with the container being supported. The manner in which the containers are held at predetermined intervals inside the carrier ensures that the bottoms of all containers are evenly laid on the cooler portions of the freeze-drying or freeze-drying cabinet, for example, on the cooling fingers . Alternatively, handling can be accomplished by lifting for processing without much effort while the container is in the hole or receiving portion of the carrier.

According to another preferred embodiment, the support tongue is a resilient support tongue, but is also capable of being pivotally moved or tumbled to a sufficient extent when inserting the container into the hole or receiving portion to provide a free path of movement into the hole or receiving portion. It has enough elasticity to be folded sexually. Such movement can be easily accomplished by setting the material strength of the support tongue, material selection and proper dimension setting. Preferably, the support tongue is thus formed of a plastic material.

According to another embodiment, the support tongue is preferably supported by a resilient restoring member such as a restoring spring or plastic plate or an elastic plastic structure that is suitably cooperated with the associated support tongue and disposed or formed on the upper surface of the carrier As shown in FIG.

According to another embodiment, the support tongue is fitted to the container by an expanding rim formed at the upper end of the container on the upper side of the support tongue, in particular by loosely laid by the above-mentioned rolling edge. Thus, the container can be removed upwardly from the hole or receptacle without a large resistance.

According to another embodiment, the support tongue receives the expandable rim in such a way that the container is supported on the support tongue with radial spacing or radial spacing and axial spacing. In this way, the container can be held in the interior of the hole in the axial direction in a manner that prevents the container from loosening so that the container can be inverted without problems. In order to remove the container out of the hole, the support tongue needs only to be pivotally moved or pivoted back in the same manner as when the container tongue is simply inserted into the container.

According to another embodiment, by means of one or more fins on the sidewall or on one side of the carrier, i. E. The upper or lower side of the carrier, to prevent collision of the containers placed directly adjacent in the hole or in the receiving portion, The boundary of the hole is at least partially defined. Most preferably, the sidewalls or fins are formed in such a manner that the container is freely accessible from this side of the carrier, i.e., from the top or the bottom. Here, the adjacent holes of the carrier or the side walls of the receiving portion also have the advantage of contributing to additional reinforcement of the carrier since they are connectable with each other. Preferably, the sidewalls are integral with the carrier, and such integral formation can be readily implemented using plastic injection molding techniques.

The bottom or bottom of the container received in the hole preferably protrudes from the end of the side wall so as to allow free access to the bottom or bottom of the container from the bottom or top of the carrier. Accordingly, the processing of the container can be performed while the container is supported on the carrier in the hole or the receiving portion as described below.

According to another embodiment, the carrier is formed of two parts and includes a frame, on which the carrier is supported in a respective, opposite orientation to support the container on the carrier in a first or second position . Members that actively interact with each other to define different height differences between the frames and carriers in the individual alignment states may be provided on the frame and the carrier.

In embodiments in which the carrier is housed directly in the interior of the transport and packaging container, the height level of the carrier in the individual orientated states may also be different from that of the other, Can be defined in a corresponding manner by a member.

Another aspect of the invention relates to a transport and packaging container comprising at least one support structure as described in more detail below and as described above.

Preferably, the containers are each transported under a sterilization condition for transporting the containers, for example, by a sealing foil bonded to the upper rim and / or the lower rim of the transport and packaging container, When the container is supported on the carrier at the first or second position so that it can be sealed, the container does not protrude beyond the upper edge portion of the transport and packaging container and / or beyond the lower edge portion.

Another aspect of the present invention relates to a process for the treatment or processing of a container for use in or for the storage of a material for medical, pharmaceutical or cosmetic use, said container having at least one end open, Supporting structures such as those disclosed herein and / or transport and packaging containers as disclosed herein are used.

In such a process, the container is transported past the machining station by the conveying device or passed through the machining station, while being supported by the carrier in a predetermined configuration as described above. Such a container is processed or processed while being supported by the carrier. According to the present invention, the container is selectively supported on the carrier at the first position or the second position, and the container is moved from the first position to the first orientation state and at the second position is the same as or opposite to the first orientation state And is supported on the carrier in a second orientation, in particular in an upright position in the first position and up and down in the second position. According to the present invention, the upper end of the container is identical to the lower end of the container at the second position with respect to the upper rim of the carrier at the first position or against the upper rim of the frame used to support the carrier Lt; / RTI > While the container is being supported on the carrier, the action for the treatment or processing takes place through the top and / or bottom of the container.

The treatment or processing of the container may be carried out, inter alia, in the cleaning of the container and / or the weighing of the container and / or the filling of the container and / or the sealing of the container with a stopper or cap and / It may be a crimping process.

According to another embodiment, the carrier may be formed of two parts, which may comprise a frame, and in order to support the container on the carrier in a first or second position for said treatment or processing, two A carrier is selectively supported on the frame in one of the opposite orientation states.

According to another embodiment of the process, the processing or processing of the vessel may comprise the step of measuring the charge capacity of the vessel, wherein the vessel is a vessel in which the laser beam is propagated through the reduced neck of the vessel, And the charging capacity of each of the containers, in particular the filling level of the container, is determined on the basis of the measuring signal of the sensor.

Another aspect of the present invention is directed to a process for sealing a container with at least one open end using a stopper, the process comprising the steps of sealing on one end of the container to seal the end of the container from the atmosphere, Disposing a member; Inserting a stopper into the end of the container in a compressed state by a gripper; Applying a vacuum to an end of the vessel through an annular gap between the gripper and the inner surface of the vessel; And releasing the stopper until it is against the inner surface of the container to seal the end of the container from the atmosphere. Since the stopper is inserted into the open end of the container in the compressed state and the inner volume of the container is sealed from the atmosphere by the sealing member, before the stopper seals the end, air or gas is drawn out of the inner volume by suction A suitable vacuum can be applied to the inner volume of the container to facilitate the operation.

According to another embodiment of the process, the gripper includes a cylinder having an outer diameter smaller than the inner diameter at the end of the container, the step of inserting the stopper into the end of the container in the compressed state by the gripper comprises: Inserting the stopper into the stopper to compress the stopper; Displacing the cylinder with the gripper to insert a stopper at an end of the vessel; Pressing the sealing member to seal the end of the vessel from the atmosphere; And pushing the stopper against the surface of the liquid stored in the container outside the cylinder and into the end of the container. Here, the cylinder serves as a means for defining and guiding the boundary between the stopper and the gripper in order to reliably define the annular gap between the outer wall of the cylinder and the inner wall of the container.

According to another embodiment of the process, the sealing member constitutes a part of the bottom of the carrier structure or carrier, as described above, the container being arranged such that the end of the container is aligned with the hole formed in the bottom, Or at the bottom of the carrier to be inserted into the end of the container through the support structure or carrier. Here, the stopper can be accommodated in a compressed state inside the cylinder at the time of insertion into the hole. Thus, in some cases, particularly when the container is in a normal transport position within the carrier as disclosed herein, for example when the carrier is removed out of the shipping and packaging container as described herein The arrangement of the stoppers can be achieved. Therefore, according to the present invention, the stopper can be inserted into the upper end of the container while the container is supported in the carrier (nest). In particular, the container may be a cylindrical ampoule or cartridge (cuff) that is received under sterile conditions and is supported in a carrier transported within the transport and packaging container, the transport and packaging container is opened in a pharmaceutical company, and a cylinder ampoule or cartridge Charging and sealing of the cylinder ampoule or cartridge is accomplished by placing the stopper in the manner described herein while held within the carrier.

In this process, the sealing member may also be supplied as a separate member, in particular as a plate comprising a plurality of annular sealing members connected to one another via a web or the like.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which the additional features, advantages and objects to be solved become clearer. As a drawing,
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 shows a container for storing medical, pharmaceutical or cosmetic use materials embodied as glass bottles;
Figures 2A-2G illustrate basic components of a two-part support structure according to a first embodiment of the present invention;
Figures 3A-3G illustrate the receipt of such a support structure within a transport and packaging container according to the present invention;
Figures 3H and 3I are comparative views of the support structure according to Figures 2A-2G in a first position and a second position of the container;
Figures 4A-4J illustrate transport and packaging containers and support structures according to another embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 4K is an exploded perspective view of the transport and packaging container of Figures 3A-3G with the support structure of Figures 2A-2G;
4L is a schematic view showing a process for the simultaneous processing or processing of a plurality of containers according to the present invention;
Figures 5A and 5B show a further example for supporting a container in a carrier of a support structure according to the invention;
Figures 6A-6H illustrate a further example for support of a container in a carrier of a support structure according to the present invention;
FIG. 61 shows process steps of a method according to the present invention for determining the level of filling of a container using a laser; FIG.
Figures 7A-7E illustrate a support structure according to another embodiment of the present invention;
7F is an exploded perspective view of the transport and packaging container with the support structure according to Figs. 7A-7E; Fig.
Figures 8A and 8B are a top view and partial enlarged view of a support structure according to another embodiment of the present invention;
Figures 8C-8E are schematic partial cross-sectional views illustrating different phases of process steps (stoppering) for stopper curing in a cartridge in a process according to the present invention;
9A-9C are partial perspective views of a transport and packaging container having a support structure in accordance with three further embodiments of the present invention.
In these figures, like reference numerals designate identical or substantially equivalent elements or groups of elements.

According to the invention, both the support structure as well as the transport and packaging container for receiving such a support structure are arranged along two mutually orthogonal directions of the space, preferably along two different directions of the space, For the storage of materials in an array configuration in which the vessels are spaced apart at regular intervals from one another with regularly spaced rows offset from each other, preferably for matrix, medical, pharmaceutical or cosmetic applications And is used to simultaneously support a plurality of containers.

One example of such a container embodied as a glass bottle is shown schematically in longitudinal section in Fig. The glass bottle has a cylindrical basic shape having a cylindrical side wall (4) whose inside diameter and outside diameter are within a constant tolerance range, and the cylindrical side wall projects vertically from the flat bottom glass bottle (3) (Also referred to as a rolled edge), and the expanded rim is larger in outer diameter than the associated neck portion 5 and is closed Member. As can be seen from Fig. 1, the bottom edge of the rolled edge 6 may be formed obliquely and may extend at an acute angle downwardly towards the reduced neck 5. According to another embodiment, the bottom edge of the rolled edge 6 may also be formed flat and extend radially at a substantially right angle to the reduced neck 5.

The neck portion 5 may be formed of a smooth wall without external threads or may be provided with an external thread for screwing on the closing member. For example, a stopper (not shown) may be inserted into the inner bore of the neck 5 and the upper rim portion 6, and the upper end of the stopper may be inserted into the upper rim portion 6 of the glass bottle, To prevent contaminants from entering the glass bottle by, for example, crimping or beading a metal protective foil (not shown). These vials are radially symmetrical and are formed by transparent molding or plastic injection molding techniques, either transparent or colored glass, or of a suitable plastic material, and generally only emit minimal impurities to the formulation in which the glass bottle material is contained The inside can be coated.

Additional examples of drug containers according to the present application include ampoules, couples (cartridges), syringes or spray containers. An ampoule or a cupola is usually a container for parenteral medicines and for cosmetics and other preparations and is usually formed in a cylindrical shape and has an elongated tip (spear or head) at both ends and a flat It has a bottom or two extension ends. Such an ampoule or cup may be formed as a snap-off ampoule with a predetermined annular rupture point around the ampoule neck, or as an OPC cartridge (one-point cut ampoule) with a rupture ring engraved on the glass. Syringes or injection bottles, also known as injection flasks, glass bottles or reusable ampoules, are cylindrical containers made of glass or plastic in similar shape to a bottle and usually have a relatively small nominal volume (for example, 1 ml, 10 ml). Such a container is sealed by a rubber stopper (plug) having a diaphragm (rubber with a hole). In order to protect the diaphragm and secure the rubber stopper, an external closure (bead cap or cramp), usually formed of an aluminum sheet, is required. The capillary in which the liquid is stored inside the cylinder is closed at one end by a thick rubber or plastic stopper. When the contents are pressed by using the cuff syringe, the stopper acts as a piston. The other end of the cylinder is closed only by a thin diaphragm and, in application, the rear end of the cuff syringe (the cannular with both ends sharpened) passes through the diaphragm. Cylindrical ampoules are usually used for local anesthesia in dentistry. The insulin pen uses a special cylindrical ampoule with an anterior portion (e.g., a thread) of a particular shape for insulin therapy.

In the sense of the present invention, such a container is used for storage of a cosmetic, medical or pharmaceutical application substance or preparation, which is stored in one or several components in solid or liquid form in a container. In particular, in the case of glass containers, the storage period may be several years depending on the hydrolysis resistance depending on the type of glass used. It should be noted that although a cylindrical container is disclosed below, in the sense of the present invention, the container may also have a different profile, for example a rectangular, rectangular or polygonal profile.

Inevitably, such a container has a production tolerance which can be, in particular, in the case of a glass container, from one tenth to a few tenths of a millimeter. In order to compensate for this manufacturing tolerance, according to the present invention, it is preferred that the container is fixed on the support structure as described below, while ensuring that the entire bottom 3 of the container or the bottom end can be disposed in a plane do. The support of such a container is carried out in the region of the transition region between the reduced neck portion 5 and the enlarged upper edge portion 6 or in the region of the reduced neck portion 5. As will be described below, a support member is disposed in the region of the reduced neck portion 5 to compensate for different outer diameters and tolerances of the containers of different types, preferably matching the reduced neck portion 5, To accommodate the reduced neck portion 5 with a predetermined radial spacing. Such a support member may be formed as part of the support means, or it may be formed by a support means fixed with a clip to the carrier in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, A support structure for supporting a plurality of containers simultaneously is formed.

To simultaneously support a plurality of containers in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention, a planar rectangular carrier 20 (also referred to as a support structure in this application) is provided, as shown in Figures 2A-2G Which carrier is formed of plastic, for example by punching or injection molding, and comprises a plurality of holes 22 (see FIG. 2C) for receiving the glass bottle 2. These holes 22 are arranged in a regular two-dimensional array, arranged in a matrix array of rows and columns extending in a direction orthogonal to one another in the illustrated embodiment, these rows and columns being offset at equal distances from each other, Lt; RTI ID = 0.0 > relatively < / RTI >

The hole 22 is surrounded by a cylindrical side wall 37 (see FIG. 2B) on the upper side of the carrier 20, and the cylindrical side wall is preferably formed as a circumferential side wall, Or may be formed as a relatively short sidewall portion for partially defining it. In each case, collision of the container received immediately adjacent to the hole 22 by the side wall 37 is prevented.

FIG. 2C is a greatly enlarged view of FIG. 2B. Four elastic support tongues 23 each protrude inwardly of the hole 22 and are arranged at the same angular distance from each other along the edge of the hole and are separated from each other through the slot 24. [ The support tongue 23 is particularly formed integrally with the plate 21 of the carrier 20 and this integral formation can be easily carried out using conventional one-component injection molding processes or two-component injection molding processes . In inserting the container, the support tongue 23 is adapted to be brought into close contact with the reduced neck 5 of the container 2 after elastically pivotally moving backward (see Fig. 3C) In order to support the container in this region, it is first elastically pivoted. Because the resilient support tongues 23 protrude into the hole 22 in a higher level of point symmetrical arrangement, the force distribution is symmetrical when the container is supported by the support tongue 23 by this arrangement, The center of the hole 22 is automatically aligned with the center line of the hole 22.

A plurality of protrusions 40 protrude from the upright circumferential side walls 35 of the carrier 20 and are blocked in a predetermined geometric shape by the slots 41, Need not be formed.

2D and 2E show support frames for supporting the carrier 20 to form the support structure according to the first embodiment of the present invention. According to Fig. 2E, the frame 50 is formed by a circumferential sidewall 51 which is gathered in a flange-shaped circumferential upper edge 53. The upper side and the lower side of the frame are opened so that the side wall 51 surrounds the hole 55. 2E, a plurality of ribs 52 are formed on the inner side surface of the side wall 51, which ribs may be used on the one hand for the purpose of reinforcing the frame 50 and, on the other hand, May be used for a unique definition of the position of the carrier 20 due to the geometric arrangement of the ribs in such a frame 50,

As shown in FIG. 2E, the ribs 52 need not extend over the entire height of the side wall 51 to form a plurality of support points for supporting the carrier. According to Fig. 2E, a protrusion 54 is formed in the circumferential direction (not required) in the present example and formed in the lower edge of the sidewall 51 protruding into the interior of the hole 55.

The frame 50 and the carrier 20 allow the carrier 20 to be received in the frame 50 and the protrusion 40 on the side wall 35 of the carrier (see Figure 2C) Are aligned with each other in such a way that they are placed directly on the support points on the upper end of the ribs 52 in the oriented state. Conversely, when the carrier 20 is inverted and inserted into the frame 50 in the second orientation state (i.e., the opposite state), the rib 52 on the side wall 51 of the frame 50 is engaged with the projection 50 of the carrier 20 The carrier 20 can slide downward along the side wall 51 until the protrusion 40 is finally placed on the bottom rim portion 54 of the frame 20 have.

In accordance with the present invention, the support tongue 23 is supported by the carrier 20 in a biased orientation of the carrier 20 (i. E., At two positions of the container, i. E., Upright or up & As shown in FIG. Such a configuration is shown as an example in FIGS. 3H and 3I. 3H, the container is inserted up and down into the hole of the plate 21 of the carrier 20, i. E., With the expandable upper rim portion 6 facing downward, the upper rim engages the plate 21 And the container is supported on the support tongue of the plate 21 in the region of the reduced neck as described above with reference to Figure 2C. The carrier 20 is inserted into the interior of the support frame 53 from above so that the projections 40 on the sidewalls of the carrier 20 (see Fig. 2C) are projected on the lower rim of the side wall 51 of the frame 50 (See Fig. 2E). 3H, the lower end of the container 2 (that is, the filling hole of the cartridge or cartridge 2 in Fig. 3H) is located at the upper edge portion 53 of the support frame 50 Are arranged at a predetermined distance from the upper surface.

2C) by being inserted into the interior of the support frame 53 from above, when the carrier 20 is inverted in the opposite orientation according to Fig. 3I, Is placed on the protrusion 54 (see FIG. 2E) at the lower edge of the side wall 51 of the frame 50. In this orientation, the cartridge 2 is suspended on the plate 21 of the carrier 20. That is to say that the cartridge 2 is mounted on the plate 20 of the carrier 20 with the wider opening of the upper rim portion 6 used for filling and subsequent insertion of the stopper facing upward and the outflow hole 8 facing downward, (21). In this position of the container 2, as shown by the dotted line in Figure 3I, the upper rim of the container 2 (the wider opening of the upper rim portion 6 of the cartridge 2 in Figure 3I) Are arranged at the same predetermined distance with respect to the upper surface of the upper rim portion 53 of the support frame 50.

The same arrangement as that described above is applied to the distance between the upper end 6 of the cartridge 2 and the upper surface of the upper rim portion 53 of the support frame 50 as shown in Fig. 2 and the upper surface of the upper rim portion 53 of the support frame 50. As shown in Fig.

The support structure formed by the carrier 20 and the frame 50 in cooperation with the upper frame 53 of the support frame 50 is formed in the same manner as that of the container 2 in the position shown in Fig. The length of the container 2 is adjusted in such a way that the upper end 6 and the lower end 8 of the container 2 in the position shown in Fig.

As can be concluded from Figs. 3H and 3I, the ends of the container 2 at both positions protrude beyond the upper and lower rim portions of the support structure formed by the carrier 20 and the frame 50, It is freely accessible to the two ends of the container 2 for the treatment or processing of the container 2 in the bi-oriented state.

In order to transport and package the above-described support structure with the container contained therein, the transport and packaging container 10 is used, as schematically shown in Figs. 9A and 9B. 9A, the transportation and packaging container 10 is necessarily formed in a box shape or a trough shape and includes a bottom portion 11, a circumferential side wall 12 projecting in a direction orthogonal to the bottom portion 11, A stepped portion 13 projecting in a direction substantially orthogonal to the side wall, and an upper rim portion 15 formed as a flange. It is convenient that the edge portion 16 of the transport and packaging container 10 is formed in a round shape. The upper sidewall 14 may be formed to be inclined at a small inclination angle from the vertical direction on the bottom portion 11 to facilitate the insertion of the support structure formed by the planar carrier 20. [ This transport and packaging container 10 is preferably made of a plastic material, in particular by plastic injection molding, and is preferably provided with an optical visual inspection of the container 2 supported by the carrier 20, Is formed of transparent plastic to enable optical visual inspection of the carrier (20) received in the transport and packaging container (10).

In order to reliably position the carrier 20 in the transport and packaging container 10, the carrier and the transport and packaging container 10 may be provided with a positioning structure (not shown) cooperating with each other in a form fit (positive fit) . As an example, the positioning structure may be formed at a suitable location, in particular on the stepped portion 13, or on the support surface 18 of the transport and packaging container 10, Are formed as projections or recesses or depressions that correspond to the recesses or depressions or protrusions of the carrier 20 and interact with them in a form-fitting manner, for precise positioning within the packaging container 10 . To this end, a plurality of pin-shaped projections (not shown) mating with corresponding centering holes 27 formed in the carrier 20 are provided on the stepped portion 13 of the transport and packaging vessel 10 .

According to Figure 9A, the stepped portion 13 of the transport vessel 10 is formed as a planar support surface in the circumferential direction on which the carrier 20 directly rests. According to yet another embodiment, an additional support surface 18 or support member may be formed on the side wall 12 of the transport and packaging vessel 10. In this way, the carrier 20 can be precisely positioned in the transport and packaging container 10, and a plurality of containers 2 can be transported in this manner in regular arrays, As shown in FIG. In particular, in this way it can be ensured that all the bottoms of the container 2 are arranged in a common plane and arranged parallel to the upper rim 15 or the bottom 11 of the transport and packaging container 10.

Although the bottom portion 11 of the transport container 10 is closed as shown in FIG. 9A and is formed integrally with the side wall 12, the lower end of the transport container 10 is also formed to be open like the top portion And the bottom of the container 2 can be freely accessible from the bottom surface of the transport and packaging container 10 for processing steps in, for example, a freeze dryer or a sterilization tunnel as will be described in detail below Like bottom edge portion such as the upper edge portion 15 so as to form a bottom edge portion.

As shown in Fig. 9A, in the regular arrangement of Fig. 9A, the plurality of glass bottles 2 are disposed in one plane and are distributed at predetermined distances along two mutually orthogonal directions. In general, other regular arrangements can also be considered. For example, the containers 2 arranged in mutually adjacent columns and rows may also be offset from each other at a predetermined distance, i.e., in a periodic configuration with a predetermined periodicity. Thus, according to the automated machining system, a precise predetermined position of the container can be expected when the container 2 is transported to the processing station, and the automation effort is greatly reduced. As will be explained in more detail below, according to the present invention, the container 2 is also used in the interior of the carrier 20, in particular in a sterilization tunnel or in a freeze-drying or freeze-drying cabinet, Or the like.

The carrier 20 is provided on two longitudinal sides of the carrier 20 so that the carrier 20 can be easily inserted into the transport and packaging container 10 and easily removed from the transportation and packaging containers. An access hole 29 is formed which can be used in such a manner as to grasp an arm or the like. In the longitudinal or transverse direction of the carrier, the access holes 29 may be offset from one another, and this configuration may be such that the clear positioning of the carrier 20 in the transport and packaging container 10 is made simpler do.

Although the carrier 20 serving as the support structure in the embodiment of Figure 9A is formed as described above with reference to Figure 2C, according to Figure 9B, a flap 30 is used as the support means, The flap is pivotally mounted to the pin 31 on the carrier 20 and is preferably resiliently deflected to a support position as shown in the inset of the lower left portion of Figure 9B. In this support position, the expandable upper rim portion 6 of the container 2 is placed directly on the front end of the flap 30. As shown in the inset of the lower left portion of Fig. 9B, the container may optionally be supported in an upright suspended state within the carrier, or a transition region between the cylindrical sidewall and the reduced neck of the container may be supported on the back side of the flap 30 A restoring force may be applied to the flap 30 so that the flap 30 is placed in a state in which the upper and lower portions are turned on. 9B, this restoring force can be influenced by the shape and bearing force of the pin 31 and possibly also by the additional return means, or by the support tongue with the carrier 20 of Figure 9A In the case of the internal design of the support tongue, for example, by the material and geometry of the support tongue.

2A to 2G in the transport and packaging container 10 as described above and the carrier 20 formed by the carrier 20 and the support structure formed by the two parts are shown in Figures 3A- Is shown in Figure 3G. The support structure may be directly supported on the bottom portion 11 of the transport and packaging container 10 or may be supported on the support surface of the transport and packaging container 10. For example, the upper rim portion 53 of the support frame 50 may be supported on the upper end of the protrusion provided on the side wall 12 or the bottom portion 11 of the transportation and packaging container 10. In this manner, according to the present invention, more than two levels of height of the end of the container 2 supported on the carrier 20 can be implemented.

Figure 3F is a partially enlarged view of the circular portion of Figure 3C showing the carrier 20 in a state in which the carrier 2 is suspended from the frame 50 so that it is suspended in an upright position in the aperture 22 of the plate 21 of the carrier 20. [ In the figure). 3E is a partially enlarged view of the circular portion of Fig. 3E in which the cartridge 2 is inserted into the hole 22 of the plate 21 of the carrier 20 in an up-and-down manner, 2 is inserted into the frame 50 so that the carrier 20 is placed on the upper side of the carrier 20. As shown in Fig.

4A-4J illustrate the receiving state of the support structure according to yet another embodiment of the transport and packaging container 10 as described above. 4C, 4D and 4F, so that the enlarged upper rim portion projects slightly beyond the plate 21 and the support tongue 2 supports or holds the cartridge 2 in the region of the reduced neck portion, respectively, The front end of the container designed as a cartridge can be inserted into the hole of the plate 21 of the carrier 20. [ Here, the front end portion of the cartridge extends through the receiving portion formed by the cylindrical side wall 37. The side wall 37 is provided with a slot 37a so that the side wall can be slightly extended for guiding and clamping the front end of the cartridge, for example. As a result, the side walls 37 prevent collision between the cartridges supported directly on the carrier 20.

Figure 4I is a partial enlarged view of the circular portion of Figure 4F showing the carrier 20 in a state in which the carrier 2 is suspended in the frame 22 so that it is suspended in the upright position in the aperture 22 of the plate 21 of the carrier 20. [ In the figure). 4F, the cartridge is placed directly on the plate 21 of the carrier 20, by inserting the lower end of the cartridge 2 into the receiving portion formed by the side wall 37. In this way, Here, the side wall 37 can also clamp the lower end of the cartridge 2 slightly.

4J is a partially enlarged view of the circular portion of Fig. 4H in which the lower end of the cartridge 2 is inserted into a receiving portion formed by the side wall 37 and the cartridge (Fig. 4E) in which the expandable upper rim portion 6 is provided 2 is inserted into the frame 50 so that the upper end of the carrier 20 is also guided toward the upper hole of the transportation and packaging container 10. Since the front end of the cartridge 2 is not inserted into the hole of the plate 21 of the carrier 20 in this position, the carrier 2 is moved from the upper edge portion 6 of the cartridge 2 at the position shown in Fig. 20 to the plate 21 is slightly longer than the distance from the lower edge 8 of the cartridge 2 to the plate 21 of the carrier 20 at the position according to FIG. 4F. This height effect substantially corresponds to the axial length of the reduced neck at the upper rim of the cartridge 2 and is therefore negligible compared to the total length of the cartridge 2 in the sense of the present invention.

4K is an exploded perspective view of the transport and packaging container described above.

4L is a schematic view showing a process for the simultaneous processing or processing of a plurality of containers according to the present invention. Here, the individual support structures are shown in the left and right portions of the figure, and the container 2 at the left side of the figure is supported on the carrier 20 in an orientation opposite to that in the right side of the figure. The support structure is conveyed by the conveying device 113, for example, by a conveying roller or a conveying chain in the direction of the arrow, i.e. from left to right in FIG. 4L. The conveying device 113 may act on the upper rim portion 53 of the support frame 50, for example. For reasons of brevity, the associated transport and packaging containers are not shown in Figure 4L. However, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art by reading the foregoing description, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the processing or processing of the vessel may be selectively performed without such transport and packaging containers or while the support structure is being received in the transport and packaging containers . If the bottom of the transport and packaging container is designed to be closed, processing or processing of the container may be made only from the upper insertion hole of the transport and packaging container, as shown by way of example in FIG. 9A.

According to Figure 4L, for processing or processing, a container supported on the support structure 2 is automatically moved along the processing stations 111, 112, which can be placed above and / or below the conveying device 113 . 4L, the container 2 may be moved to a first position (i.e., an upright position, for example) or to a second position (i.e., for example, It is not necessary to adjust the height of the processing stations 111 and 112, irrespective of the inevitable manufacturing tolerances as described above, whether or not the container < RTI ID = 0.0 > And the upper end and the lower end of the substrate 2 are located at the same level of height in the above-described two positions (alignment state). With this arrangement according to the invention it is possible to considerably facilitate the processing or machining of the vessel, since the efforts to adjust, control and automation of the processing stations 111, 112 and of the conveying device 113 can be substantially simplified .

Figure 5A shows an embodiment of the present invention in which the support tongue 23 is formed as an elastic support tongue projecting radially from the top of the plate 21 of the carrier and extending radially inward into the associated hole of the plate 21 of the carrier Lt; RTI ID = 0.0 > embodiment < / RTI > In particular, in the home position or in the support position, a radial clearance is provided between the front end of the support tongue 23 and the reduced neck 5 of the cartridge, whereby the bottom portion of the expandable upper rim portion 6 of the cartridge, In a manner such that it is placed on the front end of the support tongue 23 at the position shown in the left side or in the position shown in the right side of Figure 5A in the transition region between the cylindrical side wall 4 and the reduction neck 5 of the cartridge It is preferable to support the cartridge in such a manner that it is laid loosely on the back surface of the elastic support tongue 23. [ In this way, in the bi-oriented state, the cartridge can be held in the plate 21 in the uniaxial direction. The dashed line in Figure 5A indicates the same height level of the lower end portion 8 of the cartridge and of the upper rim portion 6 of the cartridge when supported on the plate 21. [

5B is a partial cross-sectional view of a support tongue of a support structure according to yet another embodiment. As shown, the resilient support tongue 23 is flagship and has a support nose that protrudes radially inwardly. 5B, the elastic support tongue 23 is connected to the plate 21 through the elastic base portion 23a protruding in a direction perpendicular to the upper side of the support plate 21. As shown in Fig. The base 23a is gathered in a radially inwardly curved portion 23b and finally the inner edge of the support nose 23c on which the expandable upper rim portion 6 ≪ / RTI > The support nose 23c protrudes into the hole of the plate 21 of the carrier. An insertion slanting portion 23f is provided at the rear of the support nose 23c and extends upwardly to be connected to the upper end of the support tongue 23. A recess 23d is formed between the upper insertion inclined portion 23f and the lower insertion inclined portion 23b so that the upper rim portion 6 is inserted in the both axial directions Direction) in the radial direction. The curved portion 23b of the support tongue 23 opened downward and the insertion tilted portion 23f on the upper side of the support tongue 23 cause the container to be selectively inserted into the hole of the plate 21 of the carrier from above Or may be inserted from the lower side and then withdrawn again.

When the container is inserted from above into the hole of the carrier, first, the bottom portion or the bottom portion of the container is adjacent to the insertion inclined portion 23f of the support tongue 23. When the container is further inserted, the lower end or the bottom of the container slides downward along the insertion slant 23f so that the supporting tongue 23 gradually flares elastically with each other or the supporting tongue folds back and rotates . The cylindrical sidewall 4 of the container is held in the support nose 23c until the lower surface of the expandable rim portion 6 of the container eventually loosely lies on the support nose 23c of the support tongue 23, (23e) to slide along the support nose. The container can be removed from the hole of the plate 21 of the carrier downwardly by the movement in the opposite direction of the support tongue 23 or downwardly by the elastic deflection of the support tongue 23.

When the container is inserted from below into the hole of the carrier, first, the upper end portion of the container is adjacent to the curved portion 23b of the support tongue 23. During the further introduction of the container, the support tongue 23 progressively resiliently urges each other until the upper end of the container slides upward along the curved portion 23b and finally reaches the support nose 23c Make it open or the support tongue folded or rotated backwards. The bottom of the extended rim portion 6 of the container slides on the support nose 23c of the support tongue 23 and finally on the support nose 23c of the support tongue 23 It is laid loose. The container can be removed from the hole of the plate 21 of the carrier upwardly by the movement in the opposite direction of the support tongue 23 or by the elastic deflection of the support tongue 23.

Thus, in the embodiment of FIG. 5B, while the sufficient radial clearance as described above is ensured by the radial air clearance as indicated in FIG. 5B, the enlarged upper edge portion 6 (rolling edge) It is accommodated in an active fitting manner like a clamp. In addition, sufficient axial spacing, as indicated in Figure 5B, can also be ensured by the axial air clearance.

6A-6H illustrate yet another variation for supporting a container on a carrier that may be provided in addition to or as an alternative to the support arrangement described above. 6A shows a side wall formed as a half-shaped jacket 37 projecting from the lower surface of the plate 21 of the carrier and having a radially inwardly protruding protrusion 37b at the lower end where a recess is formed. This protrusion 37b can be used as a stop to define the axial position of the container 2 on the carrier as shown in Fig. 6B. In Fig. 6B, it is preferred that the bottom of the expandable top rim portion 6 of the container 2 is laid loosely and has a radial spacing on the front end 23g of the supporting tongue 23a. 6C is a side view of the carrier of FIG. 6B. 6C, due to the design of the side wall 37 in a half-shaped enclosure, the entire left half of the container 2 can be processed, handled, or processed (optically) Is freely accessible from the side of the support structure for inspection. Since only two support tongues 23a are associated with the holes of the carrier (on the side opposite to each other in the radial direction of the hole), it is also possible, for example, The access to the entire upper end portion of the container 2 including the reduced neck portion 5 can be made freely from the side of the carrier for (optical) inspection of the container or its contents. Figures 6D and 6E are additional side views of such a support structure.

Finally, Figure 6F shows yet another embodiment in which the sidewall 37 is shorter than the sidewall of the vessel 2 and thus is freely accessible from the lower surface of the carrier to the entire lower end of the vessel 2. However, in the case of the embodiment of Fig. 6A, when the cartridge is used, the lower edge of the cartridge is supported on the projection 37b, but for the filling of the cartridge Free access.

6G and 6H show such a support structure in plan and bottom views.

FIG. 61 shows, as an example, the measurement using the laser 100 of the charging capacity or the charging level of the container formed as a cartridge. It can be assumed that the cartridge is filled through the filling hole of the upper rim portion 6 using the injection needle 110. [ A hatched region 9a indicates an already filled portion of the cartridge, while on top of this region there is a non-filled region 9b, which is filled with, for example, air or an inert gas . The laser beam 101 of the laser 100 is propagated through the reduced neck portion 5 of the cartridge. Detection of such a laser beam 101 is made by the optical sensor 102 on the opposite side of the cartridge. When the cartridge is also charged in the region of the laser beam 101, lateral displacement or deflection of the laser beam 101 occurs due to the different optical conditions along the beam path that can be detected using the sensor 102. [ In this way also, since the laser beam 101 may be aimed at a relatively small beam diameter, the current charging capacity of the cartridge can be precisely detected and the processing or machining of the cartridge, such as a charging operation, And can be stopped when a predetermined charge level is reached.

7A-7F, a support structure according to another embodiment of the present invention is shown. Instead of the above-described support tongues, in the present embodiment, cylindrical or hollow cylindrical pins 42 are mounted on the carrier 20 in a substantially orthogonal direction to prevent contact of the container, Of the plate 20.

As best seen in the plan view of FIG. 7B and the greatly enlarged view of FIG. 7C, the carrier 20 is substantially open and forms a mesh shaped bottom of the carrier on which the pin 42 is disposed Support webs 43 are formed to extend a predetermined length in a mutually intersecting manner. According to Fig. 7C, six support pins 42 each form a receiving portion in which the lower end or upper end of the container is received. Here, there may be a radial gap between the side wall 4 of the container and the support pin 42. Alternatively, the support pin 42 may be tangentially adjacent to the side wall 4 of the container, possibly even clamping the side wall of the container slightly. Here, mutually intersecting support webs 43 support the individual ends of the container.

7D and 7E, the container 2 (shown as a cartridge in the figure) is inserted into the receptacle formed by the pin 42, or in the upright position, As shown in FIG. According to Fig. 7D, such a carrier is housed directly in the interior of the transport and packaging vessel 10.

Of course, according to yet another embodiment, an additional support frame may also be provided, and the carrier is received within such a frame as described above with reference to Fig. Fig. 7F shows the transport and packaging container 10 according to this another embodiment in an exploded perspective view.

7C, the intersection 44 of the supporting webs 43 intersecting to form a receiving portion for the reduced neck 5 (see Fig. 1) of the container to be supported to prevent tilting of the container supported on the carrier, A recess may be formed in the region of the recessed portion. The distance from the first position to the carrier 20 at which the upper end 6 of the container 2 is disposed and the distance between the carrier 20 at which the lower ends 3 and 8 of the container 2 are disposed at the second position ) Are slightly different from each other. However, this difference corresponds to the axial length of the reduced neck portion 5 of the substantially supported container, and thus is usually negligible compared to the total length of the container.

As best shown in the plan view of FIG. 7B and in a greatly enlarged view of FIG. 7C, the carrier 20 is formed in a substantially open configuration, with the pin 42 forming a mesh-shaped bottom portion of the carrier disposed thereon Are formed so as to extend to a predetermined length in such a manner that the support webs (43) cross each other. According to Fig. 7C, six support pins 42 each form a receiving portion in which the lower end or upper end of the container is received. Here, there may be a radial gap between the side wall 4 of the container and the support pin 42. Alternatively, the support pin 42 may be tangentially adjacent to the side wall 4 of the container, possibly even clamping the side wall of the container slightly. Here, mutually intersecting support webs 43 support the individual ends of the container.

8A is a top view of a support structure according to another embodiment of the present invention. As in the embodiment of Fig. 7A, according to Fig. 8A, cylindrical or hollow cylindrical pins 42 are provided on the carrier 20 to prevent collision of the containers, And protrudes in a direction substantially orthogonal to the bottom portion (21). The pins are connected to each other via a web 47 serving as a stiffener for the bottom portion 21. In total, six pins 42 are disposed around each hole 22 of the carrier 20 at regular intervals in each direction so as to form a receptacle in which the container is received. In addition to the hole 22, the bottom portion 21 of the carrier 20 is closed, preferably formed of a plastic material. An elastic material such as a rubber or a soft elastic plastic can be applied around the hole 22 to form a ring-shaped structure serving as a sealing member, as described below with reference to Figures 8C-8E. have. Particularly for this purpose, two-component injection molding techniques are suitable. Such a sealing member may also be disposed as a separate sealing gasket around the hole 22 on the bottom portion 21 of the carrier 20.

According to Fig. 8A, the carrier 20 is trough shaped and has a relatively wide rim portion 40 that is connected to the bottom portion 21 through slightly inwardly sloping sidewalls. A rib 46 is formed on the inner surface of the side wall 35 to serve as a spacer when a plurality of such carriers 20 are stacked on each other.

FIG. 8B is a diagram in which the circled portion of FIG. 8 is greatly enlarged.

8C to 8E, a process according to the present invention, which is used to close the rear end of a cartridge (cylindrical ampule) using a rubber stopper, is described below. As is clearly stated, this process can also be performed outside the carrier as described above, and this process also represents an independent invention, which can be clearly claimed by the present application independently of the embodiments described above.

Filling and sealing of the presterilization cartridge is of particular concern, since the drug stored in the cartridge must be guaranteed to retain its properties for many years. In order to prevent the drug from interacting with the air, according to the present invention, the vacuuming of the cartridge is performed, and then the stopper is inserted into the rear end of the cartridge to close the rear end.

8C, the stopper 80 is inserted into the inside of the cylinder 71 in a compressed state by a vacuum gripper 70, and held in a compressed state inside the cylinder 71. As shown in Fig. The outer diameter of the cylinder 71 is smaller than the inner diameter of the cartridge 2. The inner diameter of the cylinder 71 is smaller than the outer diameter of the stopper 80 when the stopper is not compressed. The vacuum gripper 70 may be displaced in the axial direction with respect to the cylinder 71 although the vacuum gripper 70 may be displaced in the axial direction together with the cylinder 71. [

The liquid 9a is charged into the cartridge 2, and only the rear end of the cartridge is shown in Figures 8C-8E. The internal volume 9b of the cartridge 2 above the liquid level 9c of the liquid 9a is not charged. 8C, the annular sealing member 77 is fitted on the rear end of the cartridge 2 in a flat shape (i.e., in the form of a fingerless handle) to seal the rear end of the cartridge 2 from the predetermined atmosphere. The cylinder 71 can be inserted into the hole of the sealing member 77 by the vacuum gripper 70 because the outer diameter of the cylinder 71 is smaller than the diameter of the hole.

A plunger 73 is provided at the front end of the cylinder 71 to be sealed to the cylinder 71 by a seal ring 74. The cylinder 71 and the vacuum gripper 70 can be axially displaced with respect to the plunger 73. [ The plunger 73 serves as an abutting surface abutting against the sealing member 77 and can apply pressure to the sealing member. 8C, a radial suction channel 75 is formed on the inside of the plunger 77, and a suction device (not shown) removes an annular gap 76 between the cylinder 71 and the cartridge 2 Air or gas can be exhausted through the plunger. The sealing member 77 may be made of an elastic rubber material and may be disposed on the rear edge of the cartridge 2. [ 8), or the sealing member may also be positioned within the bottom portion 21 of the carrier 20 to prevent the opening 22 of the individual hole 22 Can be disposed or applied around. When the cartridge is in an upright position on the bottom portion 21 of the carrier 20 that is closed as shown in Fig. 8A, when the cartridge 2 is inserted into the carrier upright, Arrangements can be made automatically. This position may also be a transport position, in particular, where the cartridge 2 is inserted into a carrier (nest) and the carrier is also stored under sterile conditions, for example, as shown in Figure 7D And the packaging container.

A closing or sealing process begins with the curing of the stopper: a sorting bowl (not shown) conveys the stopper 80 to the vacuum gripper 70, which is then used to push the stopper onto the cartridge . The vacuum gripper 70 pushes the stopper 80 into the interior of the cylinder 71 so that the stopper 80 is compressed as shown in FIG. 8C. A vacuum gripper 70 is disposed on the rear edge of the cartridge 2 together with the cylinder 71 and the plunger 73 so that a sealing element 77 Is sealed so that the internal volume 9b in which the liquid is not filled and the annular gap 76 between the cylinder 71 and the cartridge 2 are sealed from the atmosphere.

Thereafter, air is sucked through the suction channel 75 to the outside of the internal volume portion 9b which is not filled with the liquid. Then, the vacuum gripper 70 is displaced in the axial direction relative to the cylinder 71 toward the liquid surface 9c. Here, the stopper 80 is first pushed to the outside of the cylinder 71, so that the stopper is loosened and held so as to be sealable on the inner wall of the cartridge 2. The vacuum gripper 70 is then added axially relative to the cylinder 71 against the liquid surface 9c until the stopper 80 is placed on the liquid surface 9c as shown in Figure 8D. . After the vacuum gripper 70 and the stopper 80 are separated from each other, the sealing arrangement can be released and the vacuum gripper 70 and the cylinder 71 can be returned to the outside of the rear end of the cartridge 2, And can be displaced in the axial direction.

Subsequently, the vacuum gripper 70 is further displaced with respect to the cylinder 71 in the axial direction as shown in Fig. 8E, and the vacuum gripper 70 together with the cylinder 71 is moved to the outside of the rear end of the cartridge 2 By being displaced in the axial direction, a new closure or sealing process can be started.

During such closing or sealing process, it can be confirmed whether or not the stopper actually exists by optical inspection. In addition, the position of the cartridge, the position of the stopper and / or the position of the vacuum gripper can be determined and suitably adjusted. As a further step of the closing or sealing process, the tow train can push the cap onto the cartridge with the stopper fitted. These caps may be, in particular, metal lids crimped onto the rim of the cartridge. These caps may be carried by the sorting balls.

The filling of the container, especially the cartridge, under vacuum, which can prevent the formation of bubbles, is usually carried out by a rotary piston pump. The handling technique of the viscous liquid in vacuum is to balance various parameters. According to the prior art method, a too strong vacuum condition can cause boiling of the product to begin. With respect to the prior art stopper curing, there is a risk that the product will pass over the stopper and be extracted outside the cartridge. However, if the vacuum is too weak, air pockets and bubbles will not disappear.

According to the present invention, due to the width of the annular gap 76 (see Fig. 8C) and the width of the suction channel 75 and the vacuum used for suction, the appropriate parameters can easily be determined, Can be cured without development and without air pockets or bubbles in the liquid. As a positive side effect, a higher sterilization safety level can be achieved with only a small amount of air present in the cartridge, by means of the closing or sealing process described above, usually with a higher accuracy dosing process And the possibility of displacement of the stopper caused by a change in the climatic conditions (air pressure) during transportation can be ruled out.

In particular, the above-described closing or sealing process is also carried out so that the container, in particular the cartridge, is fed into the sealing station in the carrier, in a predetermined geometrical arrangement in which the open end of the container is arranged as close as possible to the bottom of the carrier . For example, the open end of the container may be directly supported on the bottom of the carrier, or the open end, e.g., the neck of the container, may extend to the other side of the carrier through a hole formed in the bottom of the carrier . Thus, the bottom of the carrier can act directly as a counter member for the plunger of the sealing station. The container is supported on the carrier in such a manner that the open end of the container is aligned with the hole in the bottom of the carrier. The plunger of the sealing station then approaches the open end of the vessel as described above and the sealing or closing operation is performed as described above while the vessel is being supported on the carrier.

9C shows another embodiment of the packaging unit 1 including the support plate 21 of the carrier, as described above with reference to Figs. 9A and 9B, received in the transport and packaging container 10, Fig. According to Fig. 9C, the transport unit 1 includes a measuring section for identification and / or tracking as follows: As shown in the enlarged view of Fig. 9C, an electronic RFID chip or a ruby- The chip 60 (the ruby chip transmits a signal at a frequency that is permeable to metal and water) is applied to the stepped portion 13 of the container 10 and / or the access hole (not shown) between the side wall 12 and the support plate 21 29 (see Fig. 9A). The RFID chip or the ruby chip can be read out through the side wall of the packaging unit 1 in a contactless manner and if there is an inquiry, the information about the identity, important product characteristics (manufacturer, contents, production date, . Such a chip 60 may be glued to the packaging unit 1 at an appropriate position and at a different position from that shown in the figure. The chip 60 may be arranged in such a way that it is broken, for example, broken or inoperable, when the packaging unit 1 is opened or the support plate 23 is sent out of the packaging unit 1 . Thus, in the absence of a response from the chip 60 to the wireless query, information is available from the previous packaging process indicating that the packaging unit has been manipulated in several ways, It does not respond. Such a chip may be used, for example, to demonstrate the authenticity and integrity of the packaging unit and of the container contained therein.

According to another preferred embodiment, the RFID chip or ruby chip 60 is an important mediator of the transport and marking container 1 as a function of time which affects the important quality or authenticity characteristics of the container received in the transport and packaging container 1 In combination with other sensors capable of monitoring variables. Such quality or authenticity characteristics may be periodically recorded and stored in the memory associated with the chip 60 or sensor. In order to supply power to these electronic components, an independent power supply, in particular a small size battery or a small circuit, can be provided in the transport and packaging container 1, or it can be powered inductively by a small circuit loop . According to the present application, in particular sensors as described below can be considered:

- a moisture sensor with or without memory (data logging) that periodically measures and, if necessary, records prevailing humidity in transport and packaging containers;

- a memory (data logging) which measures the concentration of germicidal gases such as ethylene oxide, formaldehyde, or gases present in the transport and packaging containers, such as O ₂ , ozone or CO ₂ , A gas sensor not provided;

- a temperature sensor with or without memory (data logging) which periodically measures and, if necessary, records the temperature of transport and packaging containers;

- a UV sensor with or without memory (data logging) that periodically measures and records if necessary UV radiation penetrating the transport and packaging containers;

- A gamma ray sensor, electron beam sensor or X-ray sensor, with or without memory (data logging), which periodically measures and records radiation as it penetrates into transport and packaging containers, if necessary.

As will be clear to one skilled in the art by reading the foregoing description, the container may also be supported on the support structure by other positive or frictional engagement.

The supporting force caused by the support means on the container is sufficient to reliably support the container on the support structure. In particular, the resulting bearing force is greater than the weight of the container and, if necessary, greater than the weight including the contents and the sealing stopper. Thus, a reliable support of the container on the support structure is ensured. At the same time, the displacement of the container in the hole or receiving portion of the support structure, in particular the displacement or rotation of the container in the axial direction, can be effected without great force.

Of course, in the sense of the present invention, the support structure (carrier) may be formed of a thermoplastic, thermoset or elastomeric plastic, and a friction reducing coating may be provided on at least a portion of the support structure or the carrier to facilitate insertion and removal of the container do.

Various aspects and features of the above-described embodiments may be combined with one another in any desired manner so that various additional embodiments and modifications may be made, as will be apparent to one skilled in the art upon reading the foregoing description. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that upon reading the foregoing description all such additional embodiments and modifications are within the scope of the present invention unless they depart from the general approach and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims You can clearly see that.

1: Packing unit 2: Glass bottle / Cartridge / container
3: bottom 4: side wall
5: neck portion 6: expandable upper edge portion
7: filling hole 8: lower open end
9a: liquid 9b: non-filling volume
9c: Liquid level 10: Transport and packaging containers (tubs)
11: bottom part 12: lower side wall
13: stepped portion / support surface 15: upper edge portion
16: corner area 17: centering pin
18: support surface 20: carrier (nest)
21: bottom of plate / carrier (20) 22: hole
23: support tongue 23a:
23b: lower insertion inclined portion 23c:
23d: support receiving portion / recess 23e: upper projecting portion
23f: upper inclined portion 23g: front end portion
24: Slot 25: Reinforcement support tongue
29: access recess 30: pivotable support flap
31: pin 35: side wall
36: reinforcing rib 37: cylinder sleeve / side wall
37a: Slot 37b: Supporting nose
38: receptacle 39: connecting web
40: rim / protrusion 41: recess / slot
42: pin / cylinder 43: support web
44: intersection point 46: rib
47: web 50: frame
51: side wall 52: rib
53: upper rim portion 54: lower rim portion
55: hole 56: support surface
60: Identification or tracking means (RFID or chip) 70: Vacuum gripper
71: cylinder 72: annular clearance
73: plunger 74: sealing ring
75: Suction channel 76: Annular clearance
77: sealing member 78: free inner volume
80: stopper 100: laser
101: laser beam 102: sensor
110: filling needle 111: upper processing station
112: lower processing station 113: conveying device
120: upper alignment line 121: lower alignment line

Claims (22)

A support structure for simultaneously supporting a plurality of containers (2) having a predetermined length, which is used for the storage of materials for medical, pharmaceutical or cosmetic purposes, or which comprises such materials, comprising a plurality of support means (23) And a carrier (20), said support means optionally having a first position in which the container is supported on the carrier in a first orientation state or a second orientation state in which the container is in the second orientation state Is configured to support a container on a carrier (20) at a second position supported on a carrier, the support structure comprising:
The carrier (20)
An upper edge portion 6 of the container 2 is provided at the first position with respect to the upper edge portion of the carrier 20 or at the upper edge portion 53 of the frame 50 used for supporting the carrier 20. [ (3, 8) of the container (2) in the second position, and in a manner such that
In such a manner that access to the upper end and / or the lower end of the container (2) is possible for further processing of the container while the container is supported on the carrier (20)
Is adapted to the length of the container (2). 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the carrier comprises a plurality of holes (22)
Said support means (23) being associated with said hole,
The container (2) is arranged such that the upper end (6) of the container protrudes beyond the upper rim of the carrier and / or the lower end (3; 8) Is supported on said carrier (20) by said support means (23) so as to protrude beyond the lower rim of said carrier (20). 2. A support structure according to claim 1, wherein in said first position and said second position said container is supported on said carrier or axially on said carrier. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said support means is designed as a support tongue (23) provided at an edge of an individual hole and projecting from an upper surface of said carrier (20)
The support tongue (23) is configured to pivot or tilt elastically during insertion of the container into the hole or receiving portion,
Wherein the support tongue is adapted to the container such that the container is supported by the support tongue at a radially spaced distance. 5. A support structure according to claim 4, characterized in that the support tongue (23) is a resilient support tongue that is biased towards the retention position and formed integrally with the carrier (20). The carrier (20) as claimed in claim 1, wherein a side wall (37) or pin (42) is provided in a direction substantially orthogonal to the lower surface of the carrier (20) to prevent contact of the container Wherein the protruding portion is a protruding portion. 7. A support structure according to claim 6, wherein the side wall (37) or the pin (42) is formed so as to be freely accessible from the lower surface of the carrier (20) to the container. 7. A support structure according to claim 6, characterized in that the sidewall (37) is not extendable along the entire circumferential surface of the container, so that it is accessible from a side of the carrier to a part of the container supported on the carrier . 2. A carrier according to claim 1, characterized in that the pins (42) protrude in a direction essentially perpendicular to the lower surface of the carrier (20) to prevent collision between the containers directly supported on the carrier,
Characterized in that the support means (43) are configured such that the individual ends of the container are supported on the support means. 10. A device according to claim 9, characterized in that said support means (43) are formed as support webs which are mutually intersecting and interconnected,
Characterized in that at least two support webs (43) each extend across the hole (22) formed in the carrier. 11. A method according to claim 10, characterized in that in order to prevent tilting of the container supported on the carrier, in the area of the intersection (44) of the crossing support webs (43) And a recess is formed to define a receiving portion for the receiving portion. 12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the upper edge portion (53) of the frame (50) used to support the carrier (20) from the position where the upper end (6) The distance to the upper edge of the carrier 20,
To the upper edge portion (53) of the frame (50) used to support the carrier (20) from a position where the lower end portion (3; 8) of the container (2) (20, 20) corresponds to the length of the reduced neck (5, 6) of the container to which the difference between the distances to the upper rim of the container (20) is supported. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the carrier is formed of two parts and includes a frame (50), and wherein the carrier (20) Is supported on the frame in an opposite orientation of the support structure. 14. A device according to claim 13, characterized in that the members (54; 40, 41) cooperating with each other in an active fitting manner are arranged to define a different height difference between the frame (50) Is disposed on the frame (50) and on the carrier (20). A transport and packaging container for a plurality of containers (2) used for, or containing, materials for medical, pharmaceutical or cosmetic use,
The transport and packaging container (10) is box-
A support structure is received in said transport and packaging container such that said plurality of containers (2) are received in said transport and packaging container,
The support structure optionally includes a carrier (20) having a plurality of support means (23) for supporting the container on the carrier (20) at least in a first or second position,
Wherein the container is supported on the carrier from the first position to a first orientation state and from the second position to a second orientation state that is the same as or opposite to the first orientation state,
An upper edge portion 6 of the container 2 is provided at the first position with respect to the upper edge portion of the carrier 20 or at the upper edge portion 53 of the frame 50 used for supporting the carrier 20. [ 8) of the container 2 at the second position, and while the container is being supported on the carrier 20, the addition of the container (2) The carrier 20 is fitted to the length of the container 2 in such a manner as to be accessible to the upper and / or lower end of the container 2 for processing,
Characterized in that the container does not protrude beyond the upper rim of the transport and packaging container and beyond the lower rim when the container is supported on the carrier at the first or second position, Vessel. A container (2) for use in, or containing, a substance for medical, pharmaceutical or cosmetic use, comprising at least one end open and being connected to the processing station (111, 112) by an automated transfer device (113) As a process for processing or processing of the container 2 which is transported past the processing station or passed through the processing station for processing or processing,
The plurality of containers (2) are carried by a carrier device while being supported by a carrier (20)
The container is processed or processed while being supported by the carrier (20)
The container is optionally supported on the carrier (20) from a first position to a first orientation state or from a second position to a second orientation state that is the same as or opposite to the first orientation state,
An upper edge portion 6 of the container 2 is provided at the first position with respect to the upper edge portion of the carrier 20 or at the upper edge portion 53 of the frame 50 used for supporting the carrier 20. [ (3, 8) of the container (2) in the second position,
Further comprising applying an acting force to the vessel through the top and / or bottom for the treatment or processing while the vessel is being supported on the carrier (20). 17. The method of claim 16, wherein the carrier is formed of two parts and comprises a frame (50)
Characterized in that the carrier (20) is supported on the frame (50) in a respective, opposite orientation to support the container on the carrier in the first or second position. The method according to claim 16, characterized in that the treatment or processing of the vessel is carried out such that the laser beam (101) is propagated through the reduced neck (5) of the vessel (2) And measuring the charge capacity of the container supported on the carrier in a manner that is detected,
Characterized in that the individual filling capacity of the container, in particular the filling level of the container, is determined on the basis of the measuring signal of the sensor (102). 17. A method according to claim 16, characterized in that the treatment or processing of the container is carried out for cleaning the container (2) and / or for measuring the weight of the container and / Or at least one step for filling the container (2) and / or for sealing the container with a stopper (80) or a cap and / or crimping a metal cap on the container . 20. The method of claim 19, wherein the step of sealing the container with the stopper (80)
Placing a sealing member (77; 21) on one end of the container (2) to seal the end of the container from the atmosphere;
Inserting a stopper (80) at an end of the container in a compressed state using grippers (70, 71);
Applying a vacuum to an end of the vessel through an annular gap (76) between the gripper and the inner surface of the vessel; And
Releasing the stopper (80) until it is against the inner surface of the container to seal the end of the container from the atmosphere. 21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the gripper comprises a cylinder (71) having an outer diameter smaller than an inner diameter at an end of the container (2)
The step of inserting the stopper (80) into the end of the container in the compressed state using the grippers (70, 71)
Compressing the stopper (80) by inserting the stopper (80) into the cylinder (71);
Displacing the cylinder (71) with the gripper (70) to insert the stopper into the end of the vessel;
Pressurizing the sealing member (77; 21) to seal the end of the vessel from the atmosphere; And
Further comprising the step of pushing the stopper (80) into the end of the vessel out of the cylinder (71) and towards the surface (9c) of the liquid stored in the vessel (2). 21. The method of claim 20, wherein the sealing member is a bottom portion (21) of the carrier (20)
The container 2 is disposed on the bottom portion 21 of the carrier 20 such that the end of the container is aligned with the hole 22 formed in the bottom portion 21,
Characterized in that the stopper (80) is inserted through the hole (22) into the end of the container.

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